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*Nightwhisper
"And guilty I may be, but don't give up on me... We will still be thick as thieves."
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Post by *Nightwhisper on Aug 3, 2020 6:17:24 GMT -5
(Perfect. And if my calculations are correct, your schedule gives Sol 26-ish days to do just that. 😏 I'm just going to go on and skip, bit how long does it take to reach Narda from the Pirate King's island?)
Before long, the ship reached the first port. Parker was on deck, as usual, helping to get some of the cargo the needed replenishing or trading in place so they weren't rushing around for it later. Whenever he could, though, he would sneak peaks at the nearing shore. He felt excited by the sight, even though he wouldn't be leaving when they docked. This was only the first of many stops they would be making before he was able to go home. Still, it would be good to walk on dry land again.
~•~•~
This time of day, the inn's dinning room was filled with people for breakfast. The scent of roasting meat and coffee hung in the air, and had she not already ate, she was sure it would have been a distraction. The inn keeper wasn't hard to find. In fact, they were greeted by an older man nearly as soon as they walked in the door.
"Good morning," he greeted from behind a tall desk not too far from the door. "How can I help you today?"
"Can you tell me if anyone by the name of Parker Dorreh is staying here?" Anya asked, walking over to him.
The inn keeper's face turned thoughtful as he flipped through a large ledger before him. "Yes, if I'm not mistaken, he was the young fellow that checked in almost a week ago. Strange fellow. Just up and left without even taking his belongings."
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Heterosexual
✧☽ ᴅʀᴇᴀᴍᴇʀ ᴀɴᴅ ᴅᴏᴇʀ ☾✧
"You never have to prove yourself to anyone who doesn't accept you for who you are."
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Post by ✧☽ ᴅʀᴇᴀᴍᴇʀ ᴀɴᴅ ᴅᴏᴇʀ ☾✧ on Aug 3, 2020 7:55:17 GMT -5
( EeYup. 😁 About a week. I added all the arrival days on the plot scheduling doc, cause it helped me figure out the timing and stuff, and helped keep things straight in my head. xD )
With the excited rescues helping the crew, the pre-port preparations where done quickly. The crew didn't mind. They were seafarers through and through, but this sea voyage had been longer than most, even with three small stints on land. Only the excitement of taking down another slave ship had kept tensions from getting too high. Even the closest of families could get sick of each others company after a while — especially if some of them were not as fond of personal hygiene.
As port drew ever closer, Sol appeared from his quarters, where he had disappeared almost an hour ago. He had left the dogs outside, much to Artemis's despair. Apollo hadn't minded so much, though he still ran across the deck to say hi as soon as Sol emerged. Artemis simply had to stand up, as she had been lying in front of the door the whole time. Sol took a moment to give both dogs some affection. It was cut short by a loud screech.
Sol looked up, already smiling. A dark shape dropped from the sky. Sol raised his arm just in time for a large red-tailed hawk to swoop into a graceful landing on his forearm. His other hand cane up to pet her head. "Hello, sweetheart." The bird made a quiet squeak and fluffed up happily.
Beckham approached. The bird walked up Sol's arm to perch on his shoulder, where it began combing its beak through his hair. Sol turned to his quartermaster. "Everything ready for port, Master Beckham?"
"Aye, Captain. All that's left if for you to bring us in."
Sol grinned. "Good." Sam and Vincent were both more than capable of bringing the ship into port, but their skill didn't match Sol's.
~ • ~ • ~ As soon as they entered the crowded dinning room, Seth's gaze was never still. He took in every single person, determining in a glance their potential threat level. Most, unsurprisingly, didn't offer much threat at all. Mostly, Seth was watching for the two assholes who had gone after Anya the last time they were here. Luckily, they were nowhere to be seen.
Seth ignored the innkeeper's greeting, but followed a step behind Anya as she approached his desk. He frowned at the man when Anya's question had him flipping through his ledger. Helpful as it was to them right now, it wasn't very professional. He didn't even know who was asking after Parker. They could have been murderers for all he knew. Unless he recognized them as the Riders who saved this town from bandits. That was always possible too.
The innkeeper's findings sent all such thoughts from his mind.
Shit. That was never a good sign. "Where are his things now?" Seth demanded. "And is his room still available?"
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*Nightwhisper
"And guilty I may be, but don't give up on me... We will still be thick as thieves."
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Post by *Nightwhisper on Aug 3, 2020 11:36:56 GMT -5
(Lol, thanks. 😁)
With the work done, Parker and many of the other rescues gathered near the rail to watch the port city inch closer. Since they were inexperienced, it was better for them to stay out of the way unless a call for assistance was given. No one looked more excited than the two people who would be leaving the ship for good. They had been anxious balls of energy all night long, and Parker wondered if they got any sleep.
The sound of Apollo running across the deck brought his attention inside the ship, making him aware that Sol had returned from his quarters. Parker was in a position where he didn't know what to make of the captain. During their training, one moment Sol would be acting as he normally does, and then, out of bo where, he will do or say something to throw him into a loop. Nearly always, it would leave him flustered and unsure what to do. Then practice would continue ad if nothing happened. That left Parker in a current state of wondering if Sol was actually trying to flirt with him, or if the man was only joking with him. He had yet to figure out how to ask for an answer without revealing his hopes that he was indeed flirting with him.
~•~•~
"We left his his belongings alone, thinking he must have gone off to explore the area. However, I have not seen him back here in two days. Everything is still in his room." He looked closer at the two people before him, but his gaze lingered on Anya. "If you don't mind my saying, you favor him a lot. Might you be his sister that he was always talking about with Elizabeth?"
"Yes," Anya replied, "yes, that's me. We know Elizabeth. Is she here? Do you think she might know where he is?"
"Could be. The last time I seen him, he was having breakfast with her here in the dining room."
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Heterosexual
✧☽ ᴅʀᴇᴀᴍᴇʀ ᴀɴᴅ ᴅᴏᴇʀ ☾✧
"You never have to prove yourself to anyone who doesn't accept you for who you are."
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Post by ✧☽ ᴅʀᴇᴀᴍᴇʀ ᴀɴᴅ ᴅᴏᴇʀ ☾✧ on Aug 3, 2020 12:30:36 GMT -5
( No problemo! ;D )
As Sol headed for the quarterdeck, he caught sight of Parker standing at the rail with the others. Part of him was tempted to go over there, but it was a small part. As much as he had enjoyed teasing and testing the shy landlubber these last few days, he had a job to do, and it was one he enjoyed.
Up on the quarterdeck, he shared a smile with Sam, who relinquished the helm without a word. As soon as his hands closed around the spokes, Sol felt something in him settle. He took a deep breath and smiled.
Sol shifted the wheel and gave a shout to his crew: "Alright you ship rats! Lets get this vessel port worthy!"
No one was insulted by the insult. They just laughed and gave a joined chorus of "Yes, Captain!" Then they launched into motion.
( I think I need to reread the Brotherhood Chronicles. I need a refresher on how ships work, and that's the best source of information I have. xD )
~ • ~ • ~ Seth's mind worked rapidly as he listened. "Alright, I'm going to need a key to Parker's room, and any serving boy you can spare to fetch Elizabeth," he ordered.
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*Nightwhisper
"And guilty I may be, but don't give up on me... We will still be thick as thieves."
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Post by *Nightwhisper on Aug 3, 2020 17:39:52 GMT -5
(XD I literally had the same thought! If only to refresh myself on all the terminology. )
He wasn't surprised that Sol gave no indication of acknowledgement to him, even though he was sure that the captain had looked his way. Sol hardly ever came around to speak with him during the day, and he knew why. He was the captain, who had to manage the entire ship. He didn't have time to slack about talking to him. Not that Parker had time to slack about these days either. So he didn't try to change that. The morning practices were enough.
As Sol climbed to the upper deck to take control of the ship, Parker once more focused on the ports waiting them.
~•~•~
The inn keeper nodded and reached under the counter, producing a key to which he handed to Seth. "He was in room four, second on the right," he informed. "I'll send someone for Elizabeth right now."
"Thank you, " Anya said quickly, already hurrying to the stairwell that led them up to the second floor.
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Heterosexual
✧☽ ᴅʀᴇᴀᴍᴇʀ ᴀɴᴅ ᴅᴏᴇʀ ☾✧
"You never have to prove yourself to anyone who doesn't accept you for who you are."
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Post by ✧☽ ᴅʀᴇᴀᴍᴇʀ ᴀɴᴅ ᴅᴏᴇʀ ☾✧ on Aug 3, 2020 18:11:11 GMT -5
As the crew moved about the deck like a well oiled team, Sol steered the ship expertly around the other ships in the bay. The bird on his shoulder didn't hinder him at all, even when she occasionally flared her wings slightly to keep her balance. The crew never needed to be told before making adjustments to the sails or rigging. The only order Sol gave was a perfectly timed demand to lower the sails, greatly reducing the ships speed. The Comet coasted the rest of the way into port, slowing steadily until she was hardly moving at all by the time she pulled up alongside the dock. The dock workers ran out to catch the ropes the crew tossed down to them, and as soon as she was secure, the gangplank was lowered. Sol released the helm, his hand lingering in an affectionate pat before he headed down to the main deck.
~ • ~ • ~ Seth simply nodded as he took the key and followed Anya. He unlocked the door, but just before he opened it he placed a cautioning hand on Anya's stomach to keep her from rushing in. He didn't know what they would find in there. Probably nothing, but he slipped in first anyway, just in case.
Nothing wrong was immediately apparent. Parker's things were, most likely, where he had left them. But a closer look told Seth another story. He stepped further into the room, letting the door swing wide, his gaze roving over everything. There wasn't much more to see.
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*Nightwhisper
"And guilty I may be, but don't give up on me... We will still be thick as thieves."
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Post by *Nightwhisper on Aug 3, 2020 19:16:36 GMT -5
It was a work of art in how the crew brought the ship to port. Parker spent just as much time watching the men and women of the Comet as he did the ever decreasing distance to the shore. It was clear that these people had spent a good portion of their lives doing these tasks. When they finally stopped and the gangplank lowered, he didn't head for land immediately. He figured that the people who would actually be leaving today would be the ones eager to get off the ship first. So, instead, Parker went to see if he could help the crew unload whatever they were going to trade while here.
~•~•~
Parker hadn't packed a lot of things for this trip. Just one bag of spare clothes and a coin purse to pay for lodging and supplies for the trip back. The bag he brought was resting on the foot of the bed, the clothes inside wadded and messily thrown into it. That wasn't, however, how Parker had packed his clothes. He tried to fold them and keep them folded just so he could have more room for other things he might pick up or buy along the way. And at a closer look, his coin purse was missing, as well as the small bag that had contained the payment for Trenton's wares.
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Heterosexual
✧☽ ᴅʀᴇᴀᴍᴇʀ ᴀɴᴅ ᴅᴏᴇʀ ☾✧
"You never have to prove yourself to anyone who doesn't accept you for who you are."
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Post by ✧☽ ᴅʀᴇᴀᴍᴇʀ ᴀɴᴅ ᴅᴏᴇʀ ☾✧ on Aug 3, 2020 19:43:44 GMT -5
Sol conferred briefly with Beckham, then headed straight for the two rescues who would be departing today. After ensuring they had their few belongings (mostly things donated to them by the crew during their stay aboard the Comet), Sol led them ashore. His dogs trailed on his heels, and with a shriek his hawk took to the skies.
The next two hours were spent unloading the ship of the things they would be selling or trading, with Beckham directing everything in Sol's absence. Once all of that was done, an unlucky few (mostly ship juniors) were chosen to stay behind and clean the ship top to bottom. Everyone else was given leave to head ashore. The crew knew the drill, but to the newcomers Beckham informed them: "You have the rest of today and tomorrow to do as you wish in town. Sol has given you all leave to use his name if you wish to stay at an inn tonight instead of the ship. Just inform the innkeeper you are part of his crew, and the bill will be sent to and covered by the captain. The same can be said for many of the local taverns. If you wish to continue to our next destination, then you need to be back here by sunset tomorrow, for we will be leaving at dawn the day after, with or without you. Is that understood?"
~ • ~ • ~ Seth noticed all those things, as well as a few most would miss. Like the small table beside the door. There were indents in the floor to show where it had rested for years, only the tables legs no longer matched up with those indents. It had been moved, likely violently, and someone had tried to put it back in place but got impatient halfway through. Then there was the faint mark on the floor that most would just dismiss as an old stain. But Seth knew exactly what it was: dried blood. It was only a drop, but it was still a disconcerting sight in Parker's room.
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Heterosexual
✧☽ ᴅʀᴇᴀᴍᴇʀ ᴀɴᴅ ᴅᴏᴇʀ ☾✧
"You never have to prove yourself to anyone who doesn't accept you for who you are."
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Post by ✧☽ ᴅʀᴇᴀᴍᴇʀ ᴀɴᴅ ᴅᴏᴇʀ ☾✧ on Aug 3, 2020 20:54:44 GMT -5
The crew had gone on ahead of the others, but a few lingered on the docks, talking to other sailors and dock workers they had run into in the past. One of those people was Quill. He was speaking with another sailor, but when he noticed Parker coming off the Comet, he raised one arm to hail him. "Yo, lubber! Over here!"
~ • ~ • ~ While Anya searched the room, Seth's mind worked quickly as he thought up dozens of possible explanations for the table and blood. When just taking in the table and blood, none of the explanations held nefarious intent. But when you added in Parker's absence and his missing valuables... that's when the possibilities grew darker.
Not wanting to dwell too closely on the darkest of those possibilities, Seth caught Anya around the waist the next time she swept past him and pulled her close to keep her still. "Hey," he said, with more calm than he felt. "I know this is scary, but I need you to calm down and focus for a minute, okay? You're Parker's twin, and a Dragon Rider. Put those together, and I'm sure you can find him. Or, at the very least, get a sense of whether or not he's okay."
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Heterosexual
✧☽ ᴅʀᴇᴀᴍᴇʀ ᴀɴᴅ ᴅᴏᴇʀ ☾✧
"You never have to prove yourself to anyone who doesn't accept you for who you are."
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Post by ✧☽ ᴅʀᴇᴀᴍᴇʀ ᴀɴᴅ ᴅᴏᴇʀ ☾✧ on Aug 3, 2020 22:05:55 GMT -5
"The sky," Quill said, deadpan. Then he grinned and smacked Parker's shoulder affectionately. "Catching up with an old friend," he answered. "Parker, Jonathan. Jonathan, Parker. The Captain rescued him and a bunch of other would-be slaves, and now we're bringing everybody home."
Jonathan shook his head, though he was clearly impressed. "I don't get that guy. With his reputation, you wouldn't think playing knight in shinning armor was his thing."
"Yeah, well." Quill smiled proudly. "Our captain is a man of many talents. And mysteries."
~ • ~ • ~ Seth lifted one hand to cup her face and ran his thumb over her cheek, catching the tears before they could fully fall. "I know, Anya," he said gently. "But I still want you to focus for me. Focus on that feeling. What else is it telling you? Deep breath," he encouraged. "And focus."
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*Nightwhisper
"And guilty I may be, but don't give up on me... We will still be thick as thieves."
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Post by *Nightwhisper on Aug 4, 2020 10:10:30 GMT -5
"No, sir, I'm a farmer," Parker answered. "I live near the Stroed Mountains. It was a uncommon circumstances that led to my capture, and one that I hope doesn't happen again."
~•~•~
Anya nodded slightly, but she wasn't reassured much. He might be alive, but that didn't mean he would stay that way. And what if she was wrong? What if she was just refusing to believe he was alive? But she let Seth lead her out of the room, but not before she grabbed his bag to take with them.
Back downstairs, Elizabeth was just entering the inn. She was a bit out of breath due to hurrying over when told who was looking for her.
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Heterosexual
✧☽ ᴅʀᴇᴀᴍᴇʀ ᴀɴᴅ ᴅᴏᴇʀ ☾✧
"You never have to prove yourself to anyone who doesn't accept you for who you are."
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Post by ✧☽ ᴅʀᴇᴀᴍᴇʀ ᴀɴᴅ ᴅᴏᴇʀ ☾✧ on Aug 4, 2020 14:41:43 GMT -5
( I finished it during the drive. 😉 )
Holding the larger dragon down was proving to be a challenge. Kyon tried to think like Stel — the only dragon whose fighting style he knew well — but it wasn't easy. Stel was a natural fighter; she had an instinct for it that Kyon simply lacked. She had tried to teach him, but even when Kyon mastered all the moves, Stel still had no trouble beating him — despite being smaller than he was.
Things only got worse when the dragon Morgan had been fighting turned its attention to Kyon. The two beasts' eyes locked for a beat just before the other dragon attacked. Kyon had no choice but to release the dragon beneath his claws to avoid a killing bite. The freed dragon wasted no time spinning on him, and then both were advancing with teeth bared.
Callum was faring much better — until the missing Rider made his presence known. He appeared directly behind Callum just as he was blocking the other man's latest attack. Before he could counter, the white-haired Rider had a knife at his throat and a long arm banded around his chest. Callum went still, already planning an escape, even after the raven-haired Rider came closer and pointed his own dagger at Callum's heart.
"Any last words, boy?" the white-haired one asked.
Callum said nothing.
The Riders grinned. Both daggers pressed down —
"Wait! I know what his last words are!"
The Riders froze as Morgan stepped out of the forest. His hands were raised to show he was unarmed, but the grin on his face made it look more like he was greeting fans as he stepped out onto a stage. Without lowering his hands, he pointed at the dark-haired man. "To you Callum says good fight. And to you…" Morgan turned his pointing figure to the other. "He says go to hell."
Morgan stomped his foot. A fissure opened up directly under the Rider's feet, and down he went. He caught onto the ledge, though he had to drop his knife to do so, and held on, too startled for the moment to pull himself out.
Callum was in motion the moment his arms were freed. He knocked away the other Rider's dagger with a sweep of his forearm and then threw a perfectly executed right hook at the man's face. He went down hard, out cold.
Morgan raised his hands triumphantly. "Nice! Now you gotta tell me — watch it!"
The white-haired Rider was back. He thrust his knife into Callum's side, or tried. Morgan's warning gave him time to twist away, though the knife still managed to leave a good gash behind. Callum flinched only slightly but didn't make a sound as he turned to face the new threat. Morgan was at his side a second later, ready to fight.
/ / /
Weapon gone, the woman wasted no time throwing a punch at Kyra's face. She spun away from any counter maneuver and then planted her feet and threw a roundhouse kick toward Kyra's midesction. (We can keep these short to allow for action/reaction. ^^)
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*Nightwhisper
"And guilty I may be, but don't give up on me... We will still be thick as thieves."
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Post by *Nightwhisper on Aug 4, 2020 20:33:24 GMT -5
"My sister is a Rider," Parker answered. "She and a... friend of hers were in Carzan a couple months back. He made a couple of dudes mad, and I guess when they learned I was related to her, they took out their anger on me. That's the only thing I can work out as being the reason."
~*~*~
Elizabeth nodded and sighed. "I didn't see meet him when he first came here. It was the day after that I saw and spoke to him. I approached him because he looked a lot like you, Anya, and it just so happened that he was your brother. Well, naturally, I invited him to dinner. He didn't want to impose, so we settled eating here while we spoke. A wonderful young man he is, polite and easy to talk with. He told me about himself and a bit about you as well. In turn I told him of the events that had happened when the two of you were here last."
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*Nightwhisper
"And guilty I may be, but don't give up on me... We will still be thick as thieves."
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Post by *Nightwhisper on Aug 4, 2020 20:58:36 GMT -5
"From what I can make out, yes. Granted, I don't have a lot of proof, but one of the others who was with me overheard them saying something about teaching a Rider a lesson. I really don't know if it's actually what happened, but I don't have proof of anything else," Parker said. Since he told the same to Sol, he had been thinking about it. It really wasn't fair for him to pin the blame on Seth. However, he knew that whether or not the man had a just reason for beating up the men who had captured him, his actions still caused this.
"It was good to meet you too, Jonathan," he replied as the other man bid farewell. As soon as he left, he turned to Quill. "So, where were you going to head now that we're here?" ~*~*~
"No, there was no one acting suspicious," Elizabeth said, shaking her head slightly as she searched her memory for who all had been in the room. Honestly, she hadn't given much thought in looking at everyone. Then her face light up as she remembered something. "Wait, yes, I remember that Dylan and Trevor were here that night. Those were the two men who had tried to attack you when you were here. I remember them because I had pointed them out when I was telling Parker about the attack. He didn't look pleased with them, but he never approached them as far as I know."
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